LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Superb pitching propelled the Illinois Wesleyan softball team to a pair of shutout wins over Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Ga., on Tuesday, March 15.
 
Illinois Wesleyan has now won five straight games and improved to 5-3 this season while Georgia Gwinnett College, an NAIA school, saw their record slip to 24-10.
 
The Titans won game one 4-0 behind a Jenna Noland one-hitter and took the nightcap by a 5-0 score as sophomore Mackenzie Marquis went a strong first five innings and junior Alie Tarrant worked the final two innings.
 
Noland (2-1) pitched a no-hitter for the first five innings and allowed only one single while striking out seven and walking three.
 
The Titans gave Noland all the runs she would need in the top of the second, scoring three runs. Senior leftfielder Mary Rankin led off with a double and, with one out, went to third on a single by freshman third baseman Julie Josten. Sophomore rightfielder Maggie Graham singled in Rankin and Josten scored on a double steal. Freshman centerfielder Jillian Runyon singled and Graham scored on a fielder's choice by senior shortstop Sam Gudat.
 
Marquis (2-2) allowed just two hits in the first five innings, striking out six and walking one. Tarrant allowed one hit and struck out one in the final two innings.
 
Illinois Wesleyan got all five of its runs in the second inning as senior catcher Danielle Smith led off with a double, Rankin walked, sophomore Amanda Lack had a single and an RBI,  Graham had a two-run triple, Runyon singled home a run and Gudat singled a run in.
 
What's Next?
The Titans play next at Washington U. in St. Louis in a doubleheader on Thursday, March 24 at 4 p.m.